RMG exports facing setback as floods disrupt transport of goods

Bangladesh’s export of readymade garments (RMG), one of the lifelines of the country’s economy, is facing a setback as floods have left Chattogram, Bangladesh’s vital port city, completely isolated from the rest of the country.

RMG sector traders said they are not able to transport RMG goods as vehicular movements on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway have come to an apparent halt due to ongoing floods.

“We have learned from our transport sources that the Lemua Bridge in Feni has been damaged due to severe flooding in the last two days. It is disrupting all types of traffic on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway,” Abdullah Hil Rakib, vice-president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) told The Business Standard this evening. 

As a result, exporters are not able to transport RMG cargoes, he said.

The relentless floods have submerged key transportation routes, including the Dhaka-Chattogram highway and railway lines on the Feni to Cumilla stretch since Thursday.

Rail communication was the first to be halted on Thursday morning when floodwaters overtook the tracks. By evening, road connectivity was also disconnected as rising waters forced the suspension of traffic on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway. 

The suspension of road and rail services is a major blow, as over 600 vehicles typically travel daily from Chattogram to various parts of the country. The main routes connecting Chattogram to other regions pass through flood-affected areas like Feni and Cumilla. 

Khairul Alam, superintendent of Police for the Cumilla Region Highway Police, confirmed the situation, saying, “Floodwaters are flowing over several sections of the highway from Lalpool in Feni to Chauddagram in Cumilla. As the flood water increased, traffic movement was suspended on Thursday evening.”

Omer Faruque, secretary of the Chattogram Port Authority, noted that the lack of vehicles due to the disruption is hampering delivery operations. However, he assured that container handling from ships remains unaffected for now. 

Faruque also expressed concern about potential container congestion if the situation persists, as cargo handling at the outer anchorage has already been disrupted by rough weather.

Private Inland Container Depots (ICDs), which handle 90% of the country’s exports, are also feeling the strain. 

Ruhul Amin Sikdar, general secretary of the Bangladesh Inland Container Depot Association, reported a significant drop in the arrival of vehicles carrying export goods to the 19 ICDs in Chattogram since Thursday evening. Despite this, he confirmed that shipment of export goods within Chattogram remains unaffected.